Automobile door latch operating means



May 2l, 1940. H. E. MARSH AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH OPERATING MEANS Filed Oct. l2, 1938 A INVENTGR,

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AmRNEY Patented May 2.1 1940 UNITE-D srArEs aotroMoBmE noon LATCH oPEnA'rmG a MEANS Howard E. Marsh, Ventura, Calif.

Application October 12, A1938, Serial No. 234,581

2 Claims.

My present invention relates to automobile door latch operating means.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide latch operatingmeans for auto- 5 mobile doors in which the operating means, at

either the inside or outside or both sides of the door, is normally flush with the door, so that objects are not readily caught, hooked, or engaged thereby, or whereby the door isnotvac- 1 cidently operated or opened, and whereby the door may be readily cleaned, washed, or polishe without obstruction or injury.

.An important object also is the provision of means of this class whereby the door latch is operated and the door opened easily.

Another important object of this invention is to provide latch operating means of this class which is particularly simple and economical of construction with a minimum number of parts, which is durable, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a latch in which the latch member and all operatinghandles or devices are held in their normal positions by a single spring.

With these and other objects in view, as, will appear hereinafter, I have devised an automobile door latch operating means having certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will hereinafter be described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon, which form a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of theoutside of an automobile door, showing my operating means in one form for operating the door latch from the outside of the automobile; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section in plan of my `invention, in one form, showing the operating means at the outside and inside of the door, the section being taken through 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the latch operating means at the inside of the door; and, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of my invention, showing a slightly modified form of the operating means and arrangement at' the 50 inside of the door. f The latch member to be operated or controlled by my operating means is shown in the drawing, as a bolt i, which is constructed similar to the conventional door bolt and is supported and reciprocally mounted in the frame d, built in the door, with the latch Ia normally projecting from the edge of the door 2. 'Ihe bolt is resiliently held in such projected or extended position by a spring 3.

'I'his bolt may be withdrawn, that is, drawn inwardly, by handles or operating devices at the outer and inner sides of the door.r These handles or operating devices are arranged normally to be flush with the respective walls or faces at the outer and inner sides of the door, but removed from such ush positions, leither inwardly or outwardly, when the bolt or other latch member is withdrawn, that is, drawn inwardly.

The means for operating the latch from the outside of the door, as shown in the drawing, consists of a handle Ii,a bellcrank lever i2, and a link I3. The bellcrank lever is pivoted in the bolt support and guide 4 at the outer side of the bolt, and has one arm l2a extending into a longitudinal slot Ib in the bolt and normally engages the portion at the inner end of the slot. The other arm 12b extends toward the rear e'nd of the bolt and is pivotally connected at its end to one end of the link i3. The handle Il may be a long plate, shaped substantially to conform to the contour of the automobile body. This handle normally covers a recess 2a at the outer wall of the door, which recess is provided to permit the handle to be shifted to an angular position for opening the door, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. 'I'his handle is pivoted intermediate its ends and preferably near its outer face on the door. The pivotal axis is also preferably nearer the front end of the handle, as shown, forming a forward short arm ll.a and a rear long arm Hb.. The handle has an inwardly extending lug llc at its pivotal portion, to the inner end of which the other end of the `link i3 is .pivotally connected.

The pivotal connection of the link I3 to the lug Ilc is preferably slightly backwardly from the line passing through the pivotal axis of thel handle and perpendicular to the face thereof. Such pivotal connection between the link and the handle normally provides a slight spring action, exerted by the spring 3, for closing the handle over the recess 2a of the door. Such connection further permits the short arm il to be easily ,depressedfor the initial movement of the handle before the bolt is appreciably withdrawn.

Ii desired, provision may be made for snapping the handle I l into its closed position, such as by means of interengaging projections Hd and 2b on the handle and door, shown in Fig. 2.

'I'he means for unlatching the door from theinside, as shown in the drawing, consists of an operating lever 2| and a bellcrank 22. The lever 2| is pivoted intermediate its ends and ls provided at one end with a large button 2 I which extends through a conforming hole 2c in the inner wall in the door, and is normally flush with the inner face of the door. The opposite or forwardl end 2|h of the lever is positioned behind the arm 22 of the bellcrank lever. The other arm 22b extends into a longitudinal slot in the bolt and normally engages the portion at the rear end of said slot. Thus, when the button 2 |a is depressed,

the bellcrank 22 is rocked, withdrawing the bolt.

To effect such operation it is necessary only to depress the button 2|" a slight distance inwardly. The button 2|* may be held in its outward position by its spring 3. In order easily to depress the button 2|, it is preferably made large enough so as to be depressed by the flat portion of the hand.

In order to facilitate the retention of the button in the flush position, the button and the door are provided with interengaging portions 2|b and 2d, from which the button may be readily dislodged with a slight pressure.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing the operating lever 2| is reversed, with the button 2|a near the free edge of the door. Immediately to one side of the button, and preferably on the side opposite the free edge of the door, is a handle 23 whereby the door may be easily gripped and controlled from within, and whereby the latch may be simultaneously controlled by the thumb of the hand gripping the grip.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, and a certain modication thereof, and though I have referred to particular forward or rear ends of various portions, I do not wish to be limited to the same, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the` construction, combination and arrangement substantially set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a means of the class described, the combination with a door, ci a latch member movably mounted in the door, a spring'normally forcing the outer portion of the member beyond the edge of the door, a latch operating member movably mounted in a recess in the side of the door and normally ilush with. the door, means connecting the operating m'ember to the latch member for drawing the latter inwardly when the operating member is shifted from its ush position, and a spring latch for holding the latch operating.

member normally flush with the door, saidV latch forming a resilient part of the door adjacent the recess.

2. In a means of the class described, the combination with a door, of a latch member movably mounted in the door, a spring normally forcing the outer portion of the member beyond the edge of the door, 'an operating button at the innerl side of the door and normally flush with said inner side, means connecting the button to the latch member for drawing the same inwardly when the button is depressed, and a spring latch for holding the button normally flush with the door, said latch forming a resilient part of the inner side of the door.

HOWARD E. MARSH. 

